Manufacturing assembly and method of locating a face insert in a golf club head

Abstract

A manufacturing assembly and a method for locating a face insert in a golf club head during manufacture are disclosed herein. In particular, the manufacturing assembly comprises a face locating fixture sized to receive a golf club face insert and a pick fixture configured to removably attach to the face insert. The manufacturing assembly may further comprise a holding fixture sized to receive a golf club head and hold it in place while the face insert is aligned with the head during assembly.

We claim as our invention: 
     
       1. A golf club manufacturing assembly comprising:
 a golf club face insert; 
 a face locating fixture comprising a depression sized to receive the face insert; 
 a pick fixture comprising at least one engagement mechanism and a plurality of alignment prongs; and 
 a golf club head comprising a front opening, 
 wherein the front opening is sized to receive the face insert, 
 wherein the at least one engagement mechanism is configured to removably attach to the face insert, and 
 wherein the pick fixture is configured to move the face insert from the face locating fixture to the golf club head. 
 
     
     
       2. The manufacturing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one engagement mechanism is at least one suction cup. 
     
     
       3. The manufacturing assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one suction cup comprises a plurality of suction cups. 
     
     
       4. The manufacturing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the pick fixture comprises at least three alignment prongs. 
     
     
       5. The manufacturing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of alignment prongs at least partially encircles the at least one engagement mechanism. 
     
     
       6. The manufacturing assembly of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the pick fixture comprises a base plate comprising a first extension, a second extension, and a third extension, 
 wherein the pick fixture comprises a first alignment prong, a second alignment prong, a third alignment prong, a fourth alignment prong, a fifth alignment prong, and a sixth alignment prong, 
 wherein the first alignment prong and the second alignment prong extend perpendicularly from the first extension, 
 wherein the third alignment prong and the fourth alignment prong extend perpendicularly from the second extension, and 
 wherein the fifth alignment prong and the sixth alignment prong extend perpendicularly from the third extension. 
 
     
     
       7. The manufacturing assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the face locating fixture comprises a first locating hole sized to receive the first alignment prong, a second locating hole sized to receive the third alignment prong, and a third locating hole sized to receive the fifth alignment prong, and wherein the locating holes encircle the depression. 
     
     
       8. The manufacturing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one engagement mechanism is powered by a system selected from the group consisting of a pneumatic system and a hydraulic system. 
     
     
       9. The manufacturing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the manufacturing assembly further comprises a holding fixture sized to receive a golf club head. 
     
     
       10. The manufacturing assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the holding fixture comprises a frame and a plurality of clamping features, and wherein the plurality of clamping features are configured to securely retain a golf club head within the frame. 
     
     
       11. The manufacturing assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of clamping features is a plurality of screws. 
     
     
       12. The manufacturing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the face locating fixture is composed of a metal material.